Personality types and perceived social support as predictors of life satisfaction among recovering schizophrenia patients in Osun State

Abstract

Few empirical studies exist on the connection among personality type, perceived social support and life satisfaction among recovery schizophrenia  patients in Nigeria. Therefore, this study investigated the extent to which personality types and perceived social support predict life satisfaction among  recovery schizophrenia patients in Osun State, Nigeria. Total number of one hundred and thirty-nine (N=139) recovery schizophrenia patients [45males  (32.4%) and 93females (66.9%)] sample from the mental health Clinic, Osun State Specialists Hospital, Osogbo and Osun State Teaching Hospital Osogbo,  Osun State, Nigeria participated in this study. Their ages ranged from 20-51years and above (M=2.83) and (SD 1.990). Three hypotheses were formulated  and tested using multiple regression analysis. Result showed that personality type had significant predictive influence on life satisfaction (β=0.19, p<0.05),  perceived social support also predicted life satisfaction (β=0.58, p<0.01) and personality type and perceived social support jointly predicted life  satisfaction [r (139) = 39.13, p<0.01]. These findings suggested that in order to enhance level of life satisfaction among recovery schizophrenia patients,  the concerned people should not only be concerned with patients’ personality types buy evaluate, modify personality types. Also, friends and relatives of  this category of patients should consider rendering both emotional support, tangible support, information support and companionship support to recovery schizophrenia patients in order to enhance their life satisfaction. Perhaps, rendering these supports, to an extent, would lessen the negative  effects of the disorder and enhance their level of life satisfaction.